THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER

O Adorable Lord of Mercy and Love! Salutations and prostrations unto Thee. Thou art Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Thou art Satchidananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute). Thou art the Indweller of all beings.

Grant us an understanding heart, Equal vision, balanced mind, Faith, devotion and wisdom. Grant us inner spiritual strength To resist temptations and to control the mind. Free us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and jealousy. Fill our hearts with divine virtues.

Let us behold Thee in all these names and forms. Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms. Let us ever remember Thee. Let us ever sing Thy glories. Let Thy Name be ever on our lips. Let us abide in Thee for ever and ever. —Swami Sivananda WHAT IS MIND? Mind is the cause for bondage and freedom of man. A mind that is lled with impure Vasanas tends to bondage; whereas a mind that is destitute of Vasanas tends to freedom. Mind is no mind when the Vasanas are destroyed. You become mindless. When you become mindless, intuition dawns and you are endowed with the eye of wisdom. You enjoy indescribable peace. Mind is Vasanamaya. This world is Vasanamaya Jagat. Mind clings to sensual objects through Vasanas and constantly thinks of the objects. If the Vasanas perish, the mind ceases thinking of objects and we attain the state of thoughtlessness. THE DIVINE LIFE

Vol. LXXIX JANUARY 2021 No. 06

PRASNOPANISHAD CHATURTHA PRASNA (QUESTION IV) SAURYAYANI AND PIPPALADA Ef {h Ðï>m ñàï>m lmoVm K«mVm ag{`Vm _ÝVm ~moÕm H$Vm© {dkmZmË_m nwéf…Ÿ& g nao@ja AmË_{Z g§à{Vð>VoŸ&&9Ÿ&&

9. It is he who sees, feels, hears, smells, tastes, thinks, knows; he is the doer, the intelligent soul, the Purusha. He dwells in the highest, indestructible Self.

3 4 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021 ‘hmJwédU©‘mV¥H$mñVmoÌ‘² MAHAGURU-VARNA-MATRIKASTOTRAM (Jnana Bhaskara Mahamahopadhyaya Sri S. Gopala Sastri) ho ¶moJrída ! gX²½mwUmH$ma ! gVm§ g§goì¶nmXmå~wO ! ñdmË‘mZÝX{dbrZ{MÎm ! {d{OVH«$moYm{XeÌwd«O ! & ho XrZmdZ ! ho OJpËà¶H$a ! à˶jeå^mo ! Jwamo ! ho {dídlwVH$s{V©^yfU ! {d^mo ! ‘m§ nm{h nmXm{lV‘² &&19&& 19. O King of Yogins! O Embodiment of divine virtues! O Being served by noble-hearted devotees! O Ever-absorbed in the bliss of the Self ! O Conqueror of the enemies like anger, etc! O Protector of the poor! O Cosmic benefactor! O Siva personied! O Adorned with the ornament of world-fame! O My preceptor! Save me, who has taken resort at thy lotus feet. nÙmdëëm^godHo$ nanXàmß˶¡ bKw§ nÕqV àr˶m Xe©¶{V àgÞdXZo nr¶yfdm½d¡^do & nwîQ>¶m{XàXnyVnmXZ{bZo nmoVo ^dmãYoJw©am¡ àoåUm ‘mZwf ! Yo{h {MÎm‘{Ze§ Zmo MoÁO{Z{Z©î’$bm &&20&& 20. Who adores Lord Vishnu, who lovingly shows an easy path to salvation, who has a smiling face, whose words are nectarine, whose lotus-feet are capable of giving all prosperity, and who is a boat to cross the ocean of worldly life; O mortals! Fix your mind devoutly and affectionately on such a Sadguru, otherwise your human-birth will be futile. (To be continued) NEW YEAR MESSAGE Sri Swami Sivananda

Let serenity and Satyam shine in every face.

5 Let the brightness of Brahmacharya beam forth from each Bharatavasi. Let Ahimsa activate everything you do with positive living spirit of compassion, love and goodwill. These constitute the real heart of India. The great spiritual qualities Bharatavarsha stands for, she has from time to time brought forth personied as some of her most illustrious children. The perfect diamond reveals the multi-hued excellence of its true worth by ashing forth variegated and colourful rays. Even so, this ancient land has revealed the inner Jyoti of her heart through dazzling rays like Satyakama, Harishchandra, Yudhishthira—like Bharat, Buddha, Mahavira—like Bhishma, Hanuman, Dayananda. Catch these ashes, reect them truly and splash all earth with the benign brilliance of blissful brotherhood and Love. This is your spiritual inheritance that you are to share among all mankind. Let the sacred air of this land resound with the cries of 'Ram' and 'Rahim', of 'Swasti' and of 'Shanti' and not with the harsh shouts of rage and revenge.

6 The air of Aryavarta, the breeze of Bharatavarsha is to waft over the globe the immortal fragrance of the one Eternal Essence proclaimed in the Vedanta. Let the sacred soil that felt the tender tread of Gauranga and Kabir tremble not under the trample of terror and violence. Let the sun rise and the bud bloom upon scenes of love and brotherhood, purity and peace, help and goodwill. On this New Year day, remember your true spiritual heritage. It is one of Truth, of Purity and of Universal Love. Recall.

g˶‘od O¶Vo ZmZ¥V§ & “Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood”. Re- assert “Hatred is not overcome by hatred! Only, by love will hatred be conquered”. Practise the Divine injunction.

O{h eÌw§ ‘hm~mhmo H$m‘ê$n§ XþamgX‘² & “Slay thou, O mighty armed, this dire enemy in the form of passion”. And again,

7 {Ì{dY§ ZaH$ñ¶oX§ Ûma§ ZmeZ‘mË‘Z… & H$m‘: H«$moYñVWm bmo^ñVñ‘mXoVË̶§ ˶OoV² && Triple is the gate of this hell, destructive of the self—lust, wrath and greed; therefore let man renounce these three. Live now this divine life. Put an end to all hatred a n d s t r i f e . M a y H e a v e n c o m e t o prevail upon earth! May India, the world Mother, regain her real nature and l e a d h u m a n i t y unto Divinity!

8 JANUARY 2021 BE UP AND DOING 9

BE UP AND DOING H.H. Sri Swami Sivananda

The great work of life is the work hard. It will be foolish to expect to perfection of character. The task see lumps of butter by dipping a you have set up before yourself now churner into the buttermilk. You must is the development of character. work hard with both the hands and You make up your mind to become churn it. Yes, you must work hard and a changed man. You determine to work long. No doubt, the saw has make a fresh start, to completely sharp teeth but it has to pass and to undo past errors and previous repass again and again a hundred neglect. You make strong resolves times over before the log is cut into and take denite vows, yet days pieces, even so the breaking up of long pass and weeks go by and the former standing traits calls for patient and nature continues to persist. Why persistent effort on your part. should this be so? Human nature is O l d h a b i t s d i e h a r d . very peculiar. You are puzzled and Tendencies once acquired are bewildered by the antics of the mind. found difcult to give up. At the Nature always rebels against least temptation, they reassert sudden changes. Your old self will themselves. Your resolves desert revolt vehemently against new ideas you. But never despair. Contend and habits you force upon it. Use manfully. One habit overcomes your common sense and discipline another. This is the secret of the mind cautiously. Changes are character. The positive crowds out gradual. On the path of character- and drives out the negative. The building, do not hope for miraculous gradual growth of that which is good, results. Then you will certainly strong and pure soon annihilates all progress and succeed. Nothing great evil tendencies. Stick to this effective is achieved without effort. You must aggressive method.

Taken from DL 1945 10 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

F o r a l l t h i s , y o u m u s t relax your effort. Get rid of this exercise your will force. The laws habit. Many little faults and very that operate on the physical plane many weaknesses require only a apply here also. Just as muscles decisive effort and a determined develop by exercise, will-force is push to overcome at once. e f f e c t i v e l y s t r e n g t h e n e d b y Y o u l o s e c o n  d e n c e i n continuous little acts of self- yourself through fear of obstacles. c o n t r o l . R e p e a t e d l y r e a f  r m One who fears the future, who resolutions. fears failure, limits his activities. It is not enough if you Failure is only the opportunity to merely sow a seed and then let it b e g i n i n t e l l i g e n t l y a g a i n . alone. For proper growth, you Therefore, have rm faith in must treat the soil, water it daily, yourself. Your place here is that of remove weeds and thorns and a commander of nature, not its allow sunshine. Resolutions and slave. Be condent. vows once made should similarly Let your determination be receive your serious and careful dynamically manifest in action. a t t e n t i o n . A l w a y s p r o t e c t I d e a s g e t t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o y o u r s e l f f r o m w r o n g a n d character by being lived. Therefore, misleading inuences. Carefully be up and doing. Never mind delay avoid temptations and counter- and setbacks. Never accept defeat. suggestions from so-called scofng Once you have turned the steps friends. Do not allow the new habits towards the Light, keep going a n d g o o d t e n d e n c i e s t o b e forward. Be it by inches or by obliterated. bounds, go onward till the ideal of a The chief obstacle to all effort perfect character is achieved. Be is the lack of condence. This up and doing in the path of disables the will. It makes you give perfection. up your attempts at the very rst difculty. You easily lose heart and JANUARY 2021 START A NEW LIFE NOW 11

START A NEW LIFE NOW

Blessed Atma Swarupa resolutions, I speak to you all to say, O m N a m o N a r a y a n a y a . “Blessed Seekers upon the path to Namaskara. May the Grace of Divinity, this year dawns for us G u r u d e v S w a m i S i v a n a n d a without the outward physical illumine this New Year with the presence of the one who was our brightness and radiance of Hope, guide and inspirer in our spiritual Aspiration, and Inspiration. God life. We have not him to whom our grant you all Auspiciousness, yearly resolutions were addressed B l e s s e d n e s s , P r o s p e r i t y a n d hitherto. But this very absence Success. I wish you Happiness, entails the necessity of taking Health, Progress upon the spiritual certain new resolutions that were Path, and Triumph over troubles, not taken hitherto. These I shall tensions and problems of life. May mention. But, even before anything this New Year herald for you many the rst and the chief of them shall more years of joy, peace, and be that you make your life a dynamic plenty. expression of the practical gospel of W i t h t h i s f o u r t h Sivananda. This is Divine Life.” Sivanandashram Letter, we leave Beloved Member, in addition behind a year that has been heavy to your routine new-year-resolutions with many sombre events, and look as a Sadhaka, the dawn of 1964, forward on to a fresh New Year, in should see you getting ready to take which the world might emerge once up the work of Gurudev as his again, from shadow into bright light, worthy child, pupil and spiritual even like the sun unclouded. representative wherever you are. Be T r a d i t i o n a l l y t o o w i t h t h e you a follower or a disciple or even Makarasankranti in January, the just a devotee of the Holy Master sun takes once again the auspicious Sivananda, let your resolve be on northern-path, Uttarayana. At this record that you determine now at the juncture of mankind's periodical dawn of this New Year to practise reckoning up the debit and credit of and to propagate his Divine life life and of the taking of earnest teachings every day of your life.

Taken from 'Advice on Spiritual Living' 12 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

Resolve that you will observe the t h e s e r e s o l v e s w i t h s u b l i m e principles of Satyam (Truth), Ahimsa determination. May the idea, the will (harmlessness), and Brahmacharya and the Bhav fuse together into an (Purity). Resolve that you will strive irresistible dynamic urge to do all each day to be good, to do good, to be that is conceived and to do it now. kind and compassionate to one and This would verily constitute the true all. Resolve to excel in service, to fullment of discipleship in this age progress in devotion, to persist in when ideals need to be actualised meditation and aspire for realization. through living practice. I invite you Resolve to be charitable and pure, to to write to me your ideas briey on be detached from worldliness and the question of, “the duty of passing earthly objects and to attach i n d i v i d u a l d i s c i p l e s t o w a r d s yourself to Dharma and the spiritual Gurudev, and how disciples all over ideal of life. Resolve to love all, to see the world can each serve the great the Lord in all, and to serve the Lord cause of dissemination of spiritual in all. Resolve to adapt, adjust and knowledge and the spread of Divine accommodate to yourself to all Life.” I shall be glad to receive and changing circumstances, to be consider these letters for the benet tolerant towards all faiths and of all. Anyone who communicates to religions, and to ever seek to unify all me on this specic matter, may by seeing the good in all, and the kindly write upon the cover, underlying unity in the midst of “Sivanandashram Letter No. 4”, thus apparent diversity. Resolve thus to underlined. make your life Sivanandamaya. Let God bless you all, and grant Sivananda radiate through your you Vichara and Viveka, rm pure thoughts, your noble feeling, determination, strong will power, your kind words, and your seless unshakable faith, Sadhana-shakti actions. Thus resolve to make and supreme attainment. Greetings Gurudev Sivananda immortal again, and the very best good wishes through your life and actions. in the name of Worshipful Gurudev I have more to say, but that I Sivananda. shall keep for the Letter of February. For the present, I shall conne this letter to this main request to you all. Swami Chidananda Thus loftily resolve and act upon 1st January 1964 JANUARY 2021 13

Dear friends in Spiritual Path, Blessed Atmaswarupa, Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya. Loving Pranamas.

Now the dawn of New Year We feel it is the right time to 2021 has brought a new hope and take the words of Gurudev Sri new aspirations for all of us. The Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj to whole world was under the threat one's heart and live in their spirit: – of an invisible enemy i.e. Covid-19 “There is no greatest blunder pandemic during 2020, and the than to mistake the unreal for whole humanity came together to the real, the transitory for the ght against it and is now moving permanent and to forget the towards the conclusive victory over most important duty in life – it. We hope and pray, that by the SELF REALISATION.” grace of Lord Almighty and Sri Our earnest prayer to Lord Gurudev, the ag of success will be Almighty and Worshipful Gurudev uttering shortly everywhere on is to shower courage, strength and the face of the earth. insight upon all of you to boldly In the history of mankind, face the life and its challenges and man was always successful in his come out victorious. pursuits, even though he was May God bless all of us. tested many a times by the cruel hands of destiny as if to uphold the With warm regards dictum of supremacy of man's Yours, in the service of Gurudev, legacy over Nature. The spiritual man knows this secret, as the upward ow of life-force is Swami Yogaswarupananda sustained by this principle. President 14 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

THE PRACTICE OF TRUE RELIGION Sri Swami Krishnananda In the Veda we have the original Veda, we have also a statement by proclamation of satya and dharma, the Christ in the New Testament: “Seek ye great principle of our culture. 'Our rst the kingdom of God and His culture' means not merely of Hindus, righteousness.” The kingdom of God but of mankind as a whole. It has been and His righteousness—these two given to us in seed form in two great things are clubbed together. We may concepts in the Rigveda, satya and say the kingdom of God is satya, and rita, from which we have also derived righteousness is dharma. these canons of practice. These two We have also, in our traditional terms represent the ultimate nature of parlance, the great teaching of the Reality and its law, rule or order, as principle of life we call dharma, artha, manifest in all creation. Satya is the kama, moksha, which is a principle of Ultimate Reality, and rita is the very action, conduct, thought, feeling and same Reality manifest as law and order understanding, bringing together the in this cosmos. This is what is called principle of ultimate Truth and the dharma. Dharma does not mean principle of its manifestation in the Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, or universe. We are said to be following any kind of 'ism'. It is not a creed or a dharma in the true sense of the term cult. Dharma is the law that operates in when we are able to manifest the co- this world, and to be in consonance relatedness of satya and rita in our with this law would be the virtue of own personal lives and in our social man. We are said to be virtuous and lives. God and man working together in righteous when we live in consonance collaboration may be said to be the or agreement with the law that grosser form of the manifestation of the operates in creation. If we violate this union of satya and rita. We can be said law, we are adharmic, not dharmic, to be successful in our lives and to be because to violate the law of the living a life of virtue, goodness and universe is to violate our own person in morality when we are able to one sense because we are a part of the harmonise the principles of satya and universe; it is to violate the law of rita in our lives. This is also referred to everybody else also because everybody as the transcendent being of God and is a part of the universe. It is to create the immanent being of God. Various chaos, in another sense. terms are used, meaning almost one Corresponding to this beautiful and the same thing: the invisible form enunciation of satya and rita in the of God and the visible form of God—the

Discourse given on New Year's Eve 1976 JANUARY 2021 THE PRACTICE OF TRUE RELIGION 15 empirical form and the spiritual form. really speaking. It is against false Many a time we emphasise one religion, and inasmuch as false religion side, ignoring the other side, due to a has been identied with religion in w e a k n e s s o f h u m a n n a t u r e . general, the whole of religion is dubbed Sometimes we become ultra-religious as an opiate, as a kind of narcotic that by ignoring the values of the world, is administered to the unwary to which is a mistake. Sometimes we exploit them, to harness them and get become too inclined towards the world labour from them, to punish them with rather than towards the nature of God, the dogma that they are poor on and then we become more socialistic, account of their karma and it is a virtue h u m a n i s t i c , s o m e t i m e s e v e n to bear this cross and suffering which communistic, and deny the existence God has inicted upon them as a of God. Either we deny God or we deny consequence of the law of karma. They the world. This is what people are told to work out their karma by generally do. We cannot exist without working hard in this world, bearing denying something. If we take the this pain of poverty, and after death world as almost everything, then we they will go to God. deny the transcendent being of Reality. This has been a very painful type of There are two mistakes that religion which nobody will tolerate for a mankind commits, due to which we are long time. For some time we may tolerate in a very difcult situation today. On it, but for all times it cannot be tolerated one side, we have materialism, atheism because the heart revolts against a God and communism denying all religious, who punishes us protractedly while spiritual and transcendental values. giving us a hope of satisfaction after On the other side, we have the pundit death. The argument of the communist type of religion, the pope's organisation is, “After death you give me joy. What of the church, the extreme type of about my life here? You torture me. I sanatanist attitude which leans upon a cannot bear this anymore.” dogmatic and traditional type of W e h a v e t o b e c o m e religion, giving the wrong impression embodiments of true religion, not that perhaps God is above the world, merely teachers of religion. We do not extra-cosmic, to be reached after death want teachers of religion. Religion is and not now. not a profession, an academic career, This is the cause of the downfall or a thesis to be written for a course of religion, and the reason why degree. It is a way of life. Religion is a communism has risen in this world. way of conducting yourself in your day- Our pundits are responsible for the to-day existence. The manner in which rise of communism because they teach you speak to me is your religion. The religion wrongly. I do not say that attitude that you have towards me in communism can be against religion, your heart is your religion. What you 16 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021 think about me is your religion. What idiot!” Suppose he tells you the same you can give me and what you can take thing; will you be happy? from me is your religion. Your idea of Dharma is essentially the God is not your religion. But this we recognition of the values in life that can forget. We talk nonsense, think be justied on a universal basis. Can a nonsense and act in a very injudicious principle be universalised? Then it can manner with the environment, with be called a virtue. There was a great the atmosphere in which we live and moral philosopher who said there is a with our own brethren, and then we very easy way of knowing whether you pray to God in the evening as if He will are following dharma, virtue, morality, pardon us from all the mistakes that or not: If your conduct can be we have committed. Unconscious universalised, it should be justiable. m i s t a k e s w i l l b e p a r d o n e d ; What does this mean? Suppose consciously committed blunders will you behave in a particular manner; will be punished. it be all right for everybody else to also If you are honestly of the opinion behave in that manner? Just imagine. that we are in a state of civilisation and You speak a word, you think a thought, true culture in this twentieth century, you behave in a particular manner; and not boors or animals, and if your would you like everybody else in the heart says that you are really a world to also think in the same way? cultured person, it is now time for you Suppose you tell a lie, thinking that good to act according to the true denition of will come out of it. Would you like c u l t u r e . ' C u l t u r e ' m e a n s t h e everybody in the world to tell a lie? The recognition of human values. Your lie will not succeed if everybody tells a attitude towards other people should lie. Lies succeed because there are a few be one of true humanism: atmanam people in the world who tell the truth. If sarvabhutani. The great principle of everybody is a liar, lies will have no dharma enunciated by Sage Vyasa in meaning. If stealing is a universal the Mahabharata, which is said to be principle, stealing will have no meaning. the quintessence of the teaching of the So the test of righteousness is the Mahabharata, is atmanah pratikulani capacity of a principle to be justiable paresham na samacharet: What is not u n i v e r s a l l y . H e n c e , o u r good for you, you should not mete out conduct—social, personal, religious and to others. If someone calls you a fool, spiritual—should be capable of being will you like it? Therefore, when you universalised because God is ultimately utter such a word, always think that if the highest universal. this word is uttered in respect of you, Religion is the movement of the will you be happy? Somebody says, soul towards God, and the movement “You get out!” If that is told to you, will of the soul towards God does not mean y o u b e h a p p y ? Y o u t e l l y o u r walking on the road or soaring into subordinate, “You quit this place, you space, but it is an expansion of JANUARY 2021 THE PRACTICE OF TRUE RELIGION 17 consciousness because we say God is planted in our hearts, which is our sat-chit-ananda, pure existence- movement towards Him. consciousness. It is a qualitative In the practice of true religion, we development of your personality into a have to gradually give up the prejudicial wider and wider magnitude and feelings of belonging to cults, creeds, greater depth, so that in your personal etc., of belonging to South Africa, North life you are in a position to include the Africa, America, India, etc. Ultimately, values of other people and other things we may even have to give up the idea of in the world as much as possible, until gender—of man, woman, etc. Even that you become capable of including the has to be overcome because in the eyes values of the entire world. Then it is of God, we are not men or women, we are that you become a world citizen, a God- not Hindus or Muslims; we are sparks of man or a superman, an atimanava, an divinity, rays of God Himself which have a v a t a r a p u r u s h a , a v e r i t a b l e somehow got caught up in other representative of God in this world. atmospheres, parochial situations from I n a s m u c h a s G o d i s t h e which we have to rise with great effort. supreme universality, this principle of Hence, to clinch the matter, the God has to be manifest in your life in practice of religion is not the practice of whatever degree possible, and that any other-worldly attitude towards a degree of manifestation of the principle transcendent so-called God of this of God in your life is your religion. You world, but an inclusive attitude which are not an Arya Samajist, a Hindu, a recognises a brother in other human Christian or a Buddhist; you are a beings, a value in everything that is in human being. When you are born from the world, a meaning in every item of the mother's womb, you are not born creation, a signicance even in the as an Arya Samajist. You are not born worst of things, and a beauty even in as a unit of any cult or creed. If you see the ugliest manifestation because in a small baby, you cannot know what we call the Viratsvarupa of God, whether it is the baby of a beggar or the the Cosmic Form, every ugliness is baby of an emperor. They both look transmuted into beauty. In the alike. If a small baby is brought before Viratsvarupa even the so-called evil in you, can you say whether it is an this world, the satanic attitude, emperor's child or a beggar's child? becomes a part of the magnicence of You cannot see a distinction. One child God, just as in a drama, for example, becomes an emperor and another child even the part of a murderer in the becomes a beggar because of various dramatic enactment becomes a c i r c u m s t a n c e s c o n d i t i o n i n g i t necessary part in the total picture that internally as well as externally. Initially the director of the drama wishes to we are made up of the same substance, present before us. It may be Macbeth, and God has a common intention it may be Othello, it may be Hamlet; we 18 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021 are not going to look upon each God has to speak through our character separately. We are going to hearts and act through our deeds, and assess the total meaning of the entire God has to manifest Himself through enactment, and nd the moral behind it. our daily conduct. In essence, you Likewise, God, Who is the have to see the world as God sees it. If Director of the drama of this entire God is to see the world, what will He see creation, takes a very wide perspective and what will He think? That is of things. Even the Earth may not have religion. And to the extent you are able a consciousness of America, India, etc. to succeed in entertaining this If we are ten thousand miles above the attitude, to that extent you are a man Earth, we cannot see America or India. of religion. There is only a glob of mud, a small ball God bless you. Happy New Year of Earth, on which we cannot see to you all! May God bless you with real borders drawn where this is Uttar knowledge that you may be, in your Pradesh, this is Punjab, this is South own humble capacities, in your own Africa, this is Mozambique, this is homes, ofces, factories, wherever you Egypt. No such lines will be seen on the are, vehicles of this divine knowledge. Earth. The lines are only in our minds. When you move from place to place, And if we soar higher still, we will nd you move as vehicles of God's message the lines that we draw between men to man. This is what will please God. are also not there. The higher we go, And if God is to be pleased, man will the lesser is the demarcation that we also be pleased because when God is recognise. Therefore, we have to soar pleased, the whole world will be high, not merely physically but even pleased, just as when the root of the psychologically and spiritually. When tree is well-manured, every leaf of the we rise higher and higher in our t r e e i s a l s o m a n u r e d . I t g e t s psychological life—go high into the sustenance. Therefore, the pleasure of e m p y r e a n o f t h e s t r u c t u r e o f God is the pleasure of mankind and the things—we will not see the difference pleasure of the whole world. So try to between the races or nationalities of please God. You need not try to please mankind. We will not even see the each individual separately. But to difference between one person and please God is the most difcult of another person. Everything will look things because you cannot conceive of like a commingling of waves in the God. You have to become more and ocean of universal forces. It will look as more a God-man in your attitude, and if we are crests of waves in the universe more inclusive in your thought, feeling of forces, where each is a part of the and action. same ocean. We have to give up the Serve God through mankind, idea that we are Mr. or Mrs., that we and serve mankind through God. Both are from Punjab or Madras. These hold good equally. This is my humble ideas must go. prayer. God bless you. JANUARY 2021 CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTHDAY ... 19

CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTHDAY OF SRI SWAMI VENKATESANANDA The 34th Birthday of Sri Swami 'aeroplane' moved towards Sri Gurudev Venkatesanandaji was celebrated on the and showered owers at His Feet. Sri 26th and 27th December, 1954. The Swami Paramanandaji unveiled a elaborate programme of the grand w o n d e r f u l ' s t a t u e ' o f S w a m i c e l e b r a t i o n s c o m m e n c e d w i t h Venkatesanandaji, prepared by Swami Brahmamuhurta prayer offered by the Vishnudevanandaji. The efgy was a Sannyasins and Sadhaks of the Ashram conical basket clothed in cloth and for the health and long life of Swami coat; over this a pumpkin with the eyes, Venkatesanandaji. This was followed by nose and mouth carved on its surface, an informal party organised by Sri had been placed to represent the head. Swami Madhavanandaji, Secretary of the This head bore an artistic turban also. Divine Life Society. At 9 a.m., the inmates Inside the basket was a typewriter with went in procession from the Vishwanath a lovely small statue of Sri Gurudev Mandir to Swami Venkatesanandaji's Himself placed over it! Kutir, and after conducting Sankirtan for I m m e d i a t e l y S w a m i a while on the Ganga Kutir verandah, went Venkatesanandaji introduced the to the Diamond Jubilee Hall, together with statue to the audience in a humorous S r i G u r u d e v a n d S w a m i autobiographical speech. The speech Venkatesanandaji. Sri Gurudev himself, was followed by his own love-offering of lending a hand to carry Swami various articles to the senior Mahatmas Venkatesanandaji's portrait taken out on of the Ashram. this occasion, reminded all of the glorious Then, Sri Swami Chidanandaji example of Lord Jesus who took a delight Maharaj read and presented to Swami in serving and adoring His own disciples. Venkatesanandaji the Birthday Address. Ayushya Homa was performed in the This was followed by Sri Gurudev's Vishwanath Mandir for the health and conferment of the sacred title of 'Siva Pada long life of Swami Venkatesanandaji. Renu' [dust of Gurudev's feet] upon Swami Soon after this, there was the Venkatesanandaji. Then various Birthday Dinner at Sri Gurudev's Kutir, presentations were made – all of them in which Sri Gurudev and the sang songs or gave talks, eulogising Sri Mahatmas of the Ashram took part. Gurudev and Swami Venkatesanandaji. The evening Satsanga had been Then Sri Gurudev delivered a organised by Sri Swami Paramanandaji thrilling lecture. The entire Sadhak- Maharaj to include several interesting world and all humanity at large owe a items. After the Bhagavad-Katha by Sri deep debt of gratitude to Sri Gurudev Ayakudi Venkatarama Sastriar, Sri for his most inspiring address. This Swami Vishnudevanandaji piloted the single soul-elevating address has amply 'aeroplane' which represented Swami rewarded all efforts made for the Venkatesanandaji "who is descending celebrations of the Birthday of Swami from heaven to serve Gurudev". The Venkatesanandaji.

Taken from the 34th Birthday Souvenir of Sri Swami Venkatesananda 20 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

“WHAT I AM” SRI SWAMI VENKATESANANDAJI'S SPEECH Now that at Sri Gurudev's Holy Command, Swami Paramanandaji has been gracious enough to unveil to your astonished gaze the statue of Swami Venkatesananda, I have been asked by the Chairman of the Birthday Celebration Committee to introduce to you the person whose statue you see before you. But, before doing so, I would ask you to repeat with me a few Shlokas from Guru Stotra and also sing a few Guru Kirtans: Brahmanandam paramasukhadam kevalam jnanamurtim Dwandwateetam gaganasadrisham tattvamasyadi lakshyam Ekam nityam vimalamachalam sarvadheesaksheebhutam Bhavateetam trigunarahitam sadgurum tam namami Chaitanyam shashwatam shantam vyomateetam niranjanam Nadabindukalateetam tasmai sri gurave namah Gururbrahma gururvishnuh gururdevo maheshwarah Guruh sakshatparam brahma tasmai sri gurave namah Dhyanamulam gurormurtih pujamulam guroh padam Mantramulam gurorvakyam mokshamulam guroh kripa Om namah sivanandaya gurave satchidanandamurtaye Nishprapanchaya shantaya niralambaya tejase Guru maharaj guru jai jai; para brahma sadguru jai jai Guru maharaj guru jai jai; sivananda sadguru jai jai I prostrate before that Guru, the Existence devoid of the three Gunas, beyond comprehension, the witness of all mental functions, changeless and pure, one and eternal, transcending the pairs of opposites, expansive like the sky, reachable through the sentences like 'Thou art That', the Bliss of Brahman, the giver of supreme happiness, the mass of absolute wisdom. Prostrations to that Sri-Guru, who is consciousness, eternal, peaceful, beyond ether, spotless and beyond the primal sound, basis and ray of creation. Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Siva. Guru is the Supreme Brahman Itself. Prostrations to that Guru. The form of the Guru is the root of meditation. The feet of the Guru are the root of worship. The teaching of the Guru is the root of all Mantras. The Grace of the Guru is the root of Salvation. Prostrations to the Guru, Sivananda, the essence of Satchidananda, worldless, peaceful, supportless and effulgent. Again before telling you who this Venkatesananda is, I would ask you to

Taken from the 34th Birthday Souvenir of Sri Swami Venkatesananda JANUARY 2021 WHAT I AM 21 consider a very important signicance of today's celebration: it is the Ayudha Puja [worship of instruments] of Gurudev's Mission. You might interpret it as you like, but I mean by it the day that comes after the worship of the Nava- Shaktis [nine aspects of Shakti – divine energies]. We have celebrated the Jayantis of the Nava-Shaktis of the Divine Life Mission – Paramanandaji, Chidanandaji, Narayananandaji, Krishnanandaji, Saradanandaji, Satyanandaji, Poornabodhendraji, Govindanandaji, and Satchidanandaji. And we have celebrated the birthday of Vijayalakshmi to represent Vijaya-Dashami]. The statue before you is an instrument which has been produced by the magic of Sri Gurudev! You remember that Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj characterised Sri Gurudev as a sculptor who could shape beautiful monuments (like Chidanandaji) that would forever stand as soul-awakening inspiration. This statue before you reminds you of another important aspect of Gurudev. It shows you that he is a magician. This Venkatesananda is nothing but this Magician's Mango. You now realise the difference too. The statue is made out of solid stuff by the sculptor; the mango is produced out of the thin air, it dangles in front of you in all its tempting colours and curves and then vanishes. More of it in a few minutes. I shall for a brief while take you off the topic of the moment to listen to my answer to a sincere devotee of Gurudev who questioned me yesterday about Gurudev and myself. I do not know if there is a Hindi or English equivalent to this marvellous expression in Tamil. Paraphrased it means: "Saving a soul by voluntarily going out and obstructing its evil ways and preventing it from getting lost!" This seems to be illogical. It escapes our severe reasoning about deserving and desiring, seeking and nding. Since the expression is current in the South, you might feel that the South Indian Gods have their own ways and are partial to some. No! There is one Upanishadic Mantra which justies such a seemingly partial behaviour on the part of the Gods and the saints. And that is; Yamevaisha vrinute tena labhyah, (not by learning, not by Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana, but by him on whom the Divine Grace descends has obtained Atmajnana). There can be only one reason why Gurudev should have chosen this most unworthy child to shower His grace, and that is to show to the world that Grace, like Love, has no eyes and is blind; or perhaps to put it a little more conventionally, Grace is beyond reason and logic. While Divine Grace might follow the routine course of descending on those who deserve it, it might at times choose to descend on the undeserving, if only to show that it is omnipotent and is bound by no laws. Sri Gurudev's Grace has demonstrated to you that even I could be here and even into me a little bit of that Grace could be poured. Not only that I do not deserve it; but I have not even sincerely desired it! And yet, when I look back on the years gone by, I clearly see Gurudev's mighty 22 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021 divine hands 'obstructing and saving' me in a thousand ways, positively guiding me in a thousand ways, almost from my childhood. In how many forms has he come to teach me; through how many events has His Divine Will worked to 'obstruct and save'! I shall only lay before you a few of them. The rst Upadesha of Gurudev was transmitted to me very early in life by my mother, who for this purpose, was none but Gurudev Himself, for you will at once see that this is today the greatest Upadesha of Sri Gurudev. It was told to me in the form of a short story. It is this: Once Lord Vishnu was reclining on his serpent couch with Mother Lakshmi at His Feet. Suddenly He got up and ran out of sight. In a minute, He returned to His bed. Lakshmi asked Him, "Lord, why did You run out like that? And why have You returned so soon, if You had a purpose to full?" Lord Vishnu smiled and replied: "Devi, I went out on a purpose no doubt. A Bhakta of mine was walking alongside the bank of a lake. A washerman had spread clothes on the ground to dry. The Bhakta trod over them. The washerman got angry and ran towards the Bhakta to beat him. I thought it was my duty to protect the helpless devotee. So I got up and ran. When the Bhakta saw the washerman coming to beat him, he too took up a stick and began to ght. Since he felt strong enough to deal with the washerman himself, I thought I need not go and so I returned." The moral of the story is clear. Bear insult; bear injury — this is the condition prerequisite to receiving His Help. What Sri Gurudev told me through my mother and in the form of this story, years ago, he repeated soon after I joined the Ashram, as though to conrm that it was he and not my mother or anyone else who taught the lesson. The second Upadesha came through my school teacher, Sri T.B. Ratnachalam Iyer. This time it was in the form of an experience as also a story with its moral. We used to have what was known as 'Library class' in those days. We were given books to read. I used to complete one book every week without fail. One week I had not been able to complete the book. Sri T.B.R. ned me, and only me, though there were a number of others who had not read their books and were habitually lax in study. I wept. Taking pity on me, the teacher told me a story to justify his conduct. A beggar lived on alms collected in a particular village. In that village, there was a heartless woman who habitually scolded him and refused to give alms. And there was pious woman who regularly gave him alms. One day it so happened that, when the beggar called, the pious woman was busy with household work and failed to turn up. The beggar got angry! He shouted, "That noble woman who never gives me alms has refused today also — no wonder! But you, wretched woman, who used to give me alms every day, why have you refused today?" The teacher explained the moral. When a good man sins, the loss JANUARY 2021 WHAT I AM 23 is greater than when a wicked man does so. Therefore, saints and wise men always chastised the pious men and prevented them from slipping back into evil ways; and they often seem to be oblivious of the wickedness of conrmed men of evil. This principle I have seen illustrated in the everyday actions of Sri Gurudev. It was he who taught me the lesson through my school teacher. The third Upadesha came through my step-mother. That was in the form of a practical demonstration of another object-lesson. Far from being hateful as the proverbial step-mothers are expected to be, she was over-kind towards me. Even if I was in the wrong, she would not utter a single unpleasant word. Later, when I specically asked her, she explained: "If I scold my own son, he may take it in the proper light and not feel it so much. If I scold you, on the other hand, you might be hurt. Therefore, in order not even to give you the least cause to be hurt, I did not mind whatever you did." Here again, were words which Sri Gurudev has been repeating day in and day out. Never hurt others' feelings. We have Sri Gurudev's own glorious example. If there is the least chance that what you say might offend someone, better don't say it. Who but Sri Gurudev Himself, could have given me this great Upadesha? The fourth Upadesha came through a god-mother whom I met here itself – Sri Leela Deviji. It was in the form of a laconic question: "What for have you come here?" She used to ask this question playfully. But when, sometime later, Sri Gurudev himself repeated the question, not only to me but to others also at the Ashram, and at hundreds of meetings throughout the All-India Tour, I realised that it had a spiritual signicance. It was a question that inspired and awakened us from slumber. Here again the Upadesha was Sri Gurudev's, but was conveyed through one of the many forms he had assumed in order to 'obstruct and save' me. You will readily see that all these are important teachings of Sri Gurudev. And you will also see that they have been so nicely graded that one follows the other. When the time was ripe, he made me read his writings; that was way back in 1936. I wrote to him and even got permission to renounce the world and join the Ashram. But it was not to be. The instrument had to be put through some more grinding processes. So varied were the experiences: so often had the baby- soul reached the precipice too dangerously close. But the Choti was ever in Gurudev's hands. The Choti which he caught hold of in 1937, he cut in 1945. These intervening years had revealed to me so many latent vicious Samskaras that I could hardly believe myself that one morning I was prostrating at Sri Gurudev's holy feet, to remain near him for a considerable time. People very often quote the example of Rogue Ratnakar and Jagai Madhai. They were exceptions. But as a rule such a revolution does not take place in man's inner nature. 24 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

You may quote Gita's famous verse: 'Api chet suduracharo bhajate mam ananyabhak' – Even if the worst sinner worships Me with devotion to none else... I have great faith in the Gita and am fond of it. Therefore, do not take it amiss, if I translate that half of the Sloka into: 'If your aunt grows a moustache, you can call her uncle' (Bhagavad Gita IX/30). The student of the Yoga Vasistha might assert that anything can be achieved by Purushartha. A Bhakta might say that Rama-Nama will instantly purify the Antahkarana. But a wicked man who has sincerely tried to remove one little evil trait in himself knows what it really is. Even in the case of Valmiki, Jagai-Madhai and Mary Magdalene, I would ask you to remember that it was not so much their will-power or determination that transformed them, as the grace of saints and sages. The grace of saints and sages, I humbly admit and assert, can work wonders. It is the magic of that Grace alone that has created this mango of Venkatesananda. I am sure now that in no other institution in the world would they have permitted me to live for more than a few days – or till such time as I begin to manifest some of the natural evil tendencies. With Gurudev, the compassion is limitless. Lord Sri Krishna assured Moksha even to women, Vaishyas and Shudras. And here is His re-incarnation who has come to offer Moksha to sinners straightaway, without even waiting to reform them very much. Into their ears he pours the Lord's Name; into their hearts he pours his own divine love. Wonder of wonders still, through their hands he serves the world! What more cunning method can you think of? Thus does Gurudev effect a surreptitious but rapid transformation. He tolerates everyone; he loves the most wicked man perhaps more than he loves the saintly. At the same time, he makes everyone do the Divine Will. This constant ow of Divine thoughts through their being converts them. Here it is not their willpower that works, but the will of Gurudev. Therefore, it is possible that even a wicked man may be transformed. That is Venkatesananda, the efgy standing before you. Let us take a closer look at the efgy. (The pumpkin head is removed and the basket representing the trunk is also lifted; what remains is a typewriter with Sri Swami Sivananda's statue on it.) Now you have understood the secret. Why has Sri Gurudev showered His 'obstructing and protecting' Grace upon Venkatesananda? Because Venkatesananda is a typewriter – a typist! Venkatesananda is, at best, inert substance. Whatever good is there is nothing but the Divine Will of Sri Gurudev. I crave for your blessings to let this magical product of Sri Gurudev sing his Glories so long as it is allowed to dangle before you all. Glory to the Magician! Glory to Gurudev, the Almighty Lord, the maker of our being, the moulder of our destinies!! JANUARY 2021 TRIBUTES TO SWAMI VENKATESANANDA ... 25

TRIBUTES TO SWAMI VENKATESANANDA AND SWAMI VISHNUDEVANANDA Chronicler: Swami Gurusharanananda

1st January, 1957 him. He has built a storey over the Today the Ashram celebrated the Sadhana Kutir. When we were desperate birthdays of Swami Venkatesananda and for want of money, he managed to Swami Vishnudevananda. At the night construct these buildings. He has got the Satsang, paying his compliments to these knack of extracting work. When the two great disciples, Swamiji said, "Today sculptors and masons ask for money, he is the birthday of Swami Venkatesananda says, "Come tomorrow"! Without money, and Swami Vishnudevananda. Swami he has built the Parvati Kutir costing Venkatesananda is my right hand, my left twenty thousand rupees. He has been hand, my brain and my heart. He is a invited by French people. His Asanas have genius. Whether you recognise him as a come in a nice book. He will go on a tour to genius or not, I recognise him as a genius. Indonesia, Ceylon, Malaya, France, He is the author of Integral Yoga and Germany, America. He will make a stir. He some other books. He is the editor of the is a good teacher of Hatha-Yoga. There is Yoga-Vedanta Forest University Weekly. no one to equal him. He knows all Kriyas. The whole work of this Ashram is He has taught thousands of people. All practically done by him. He runs the people love him. The Benares Hindu Ashram. He runs the Press. So, he is my University students love him very much. right hand, my left hand, my brain and He has no selshness, no anger. my heart. Sometimes he threatens the kitchen Swami Vishnudevananda is an people. They are afraid of him. The masons expert in Hatha-Yoga. He is Adviteeya are afraid of him. He is a nice man. We wish Purusha in Hatha-Yoga. He has taught it to him perfect success in his tour. It will be a many Europeans. He has done a tour world-tour. He will be touring the whole throughout India and delivered lectures on world, Europe, America. In America, he Hatha-Yoga. These lectures have come in a has got his disciples, Radha and Sushila. book form entitled "Lectures by He has got more disciples than I have got! I Vishnudevananda". He is a rst-class am proud of it. engineer. When Ranganathananda was M a y L o r d b l e s s S w a m i unable to cope up with the work, he worked V e n k a t e s a n a n d a a n d S w a m i as the Ashram engineer. He manages the Vishnudevananda with health, long life, kitchen efciently. He controls the kitchen. peace, bliss, prosperity and immortality." He controls the masons and coolies. I do Swamiji also raised the slogan: not know what magic he has got. Perhaps "Long live: Swami Venkatesananda and he scolds, I think. This building (eye-block) Swami Vishnudevananda" three times, is built by him. Parvati Kutir is built by and in the end the slogan, as usual, "Long him. Sivananda Mandir is constructed by live: the whole world at large."

Taken from Sivananda Day-to-Day STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN LIFE My dear students! The hope and glory of India! You are the future hope of the motherland. You are the citizens of tomorrow.You should always think over the goal of life and live to attain the goal. The goal of life is the attainment of freedom from all sorts of miseries—the state of Kaivalya or liberation from the cycle of births and deaths. Open your eyes now. Do not be proud. Develop faith in God and in the power of the Mantras. Study books on Japa. Study the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, the Mahabharata and the Gita. Take Sattvic food. Do not overload the stomach. Follow the twenty spiritual instructions. Keep a keen interest in spiritual matters. Acquire full knowledge of spiritual life. When you grow up, develop into practical

26 Bhaktas and Yogins and spread spiritual knowledge and light throughout the land. May you all become lled with divine knowledge! May you all become glorious and enlightened saints and Karma Yogins, rejoicing in the service of humanity! May the Lord bestow success on you in your lifework! —Swami Sivananda

CULTIVATION OF VIRTUES CONSIDERATION Consideration is indeed a beautiful virtue. A man of consideration always attains success in all undertakings. In consideration, you consider the matter well before deciding. You think about it, closely reect upon it, you ponder over it, you give close attention to it, you cogitate, you study, you weigh it, you observe closely and carefully. Consideration is the soil in which wisdom grows. Therefore, cultivate this virtue, consideration, to a maximum degree. Act with consideration. Weigh your words before you utter them. Consider well every step you take. Do not plunge suddenly into action. Consider the consequences well and then act. Then alone will you not repent, you will not feel sorry. A thoughtless man who has not controlled his organs of speech speaks at random without any consideration and weeps for his foolishness in the end. He is put to shame and disgrace. Therefore, be considerate at all times, on all occasions. —Swami Sivananda

27 ERADICATION OF VICES BRIBERY The habit of taking bribes is very common. If you take bribe, you will be punished for this wrong action and the Samskara of taking bribes will force you to take bribes even in the next birth. You will be a dishonest man even in the next birth. Your thoughts and actions are registered in the subconscious mind. You carry your dishonesty from birth to birth and undergo enormous sufferings. Reduce your wants and live honestly within your means. You will have a clean conscience. You will be ever free from anxieties and worries. You will have a peaceful death. I suppose you now understand the gravity of the law. Become an honest man and be true from this very second you read these lines. —Swami Sivananda

PASHCHIMOTTANASANA Technique: Sit on a folded blanket with both the legs stretched and place the two hands on the knees. Slowly exhale, bend forward and catch hold of the big toes without lifting the knees. Bend your head down to touch the knees. Rest the elbows on the ground. Retain the posture for a few seconds. Gradually increase the duration of the time. Release the toes, and slowly return to the sitting position with inhalation. Take in a few slow deep breaths and exhale slowly. Repeat the posture two to three times. You can also do slow deep breathing while remaining in the posture.

28 When you gain mastery, you can comfortably stay for three to ve minutes in the posture with normal breathing. While remaining in the posture, concentration should be on the spine and back muscles. Benets: Stiff back and all sorts of cramp in the back muscles, and other diseases of the back are cured. The elasticity of the spine is increased. The hamstring muscles behind the knees are strengthened. It removes sluggishness and tones up the kidneys and abdominal organs. It also rejuvenates the spine and promotes better digestion. Note: In the case of many, perfection in this Asana can be achieved only by regular practice for a number of days. Care should be taken not to cause too much of strain to the hip region. —Swami Chidananda

BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA (Rapid movement like that of the bellows) Technique: Sit in any of the postures. Rapid and deep expulsion and intake of breath through the nostrils should follow one another in quick succession. With each expulsion and inhalation of breath, contraction and expansion of abdomen should be there. Start with six, eight or ten expulsions of breath for one round, according to your capacity. The nal expulsion in each round should follow with deep inhalation and retention of breath as long as you feel comfortable. Rest a while after one round of Bhastrika. Care should be taken that unnecessary pressure is not given on the lungs. Beginners may start with two or three rounds, each round consisting of six to ten expulsions, one expulsion per second. Gradually increase the number of the exhalation and inhalation to 20-30 per round, keeping the number of rounds to 2 or 3. Benets: Bhastrika relieves inammation of the throat, increases the gastric re, destroys accumulation of phlegm, removes the diseases of the nose and chest and eradicates asthma, constipation, excess of wind and bile. It gives warmth to the body. The practitioner will keep good health. —Swami Chidananda

29 30 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

Celebration of the Seventy Seventh Anniversary of Mahamantra Sankirtan Yajna

AkmZmXWdm kmZmXwÎm‘ûcmoH$Zm‘ `V²& gLH² $r{VV© ‘K § ng§w m o XhXo Yo m o `WmZb… && “As re burns up a heap of dry grass to ashes, the holy name of the Lord, chanted whether with knowledge of its greatness or without it, destroys the sins of man.” Srimad Bhagavata 6.2.18 The Mahamantra Sankirtan Yajna commenced by Sadgurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj on 3rd December 1943, is being continuously carried on for world peace in the Bhajan Hall for the last seventy seven years. The blessed day of the Seventy Seventh Anniversary of this sacred Yajna was celebrated with great devotion at the Headquarters Ashram on 3rd December 2020. As a prelude to the Celebration, the collective chanting of the Mahamantra was done daily for three hours from 27th November to 2nd JANUARY 2021 NEWS & REPORTS 31

December 2020. On the auspicious day of 3rd December, a special programme was organised from 3.00 p.m. to 5.p.m. wherein Sannyasis and Brahmacharis of the Ashram, carrying the beautiful portraits of Lord Sri Rama, Lord Sri Krishna and Sri Gurudev and joyously singing the Mahamantra in melliuous tunes, rst went to Sri Samadhi Mandir and Sri Vishwanath Mandir, and then circumambulated the sacred Bhajan Hall. It was followed by the Archana of Lord Sri Rama and Lord Sri Krishna to the chants of Ashtottarashata-Namavali and ecstatic singing of Divine Mahamantra. The programme concluded with the inspiring messages of H.H. Sri Swami Yogaswarupanandaji Maharaj and H.H. Sri Swami Nirliptanandaji Maharaj, Arati and distribution of Prasad. May the abundant grace of Lord Sri Rama, Lord Sri Krishna and Sadgurudev be upon all.

Akhanda means 'continuous' or 'without break'. Kirtan means singing the Lord's Name. Akhanda Kirtan is the continuous singing of Lord's Name. Akhanda Kirtan is a very effective spiritual Sadhana. There is eradication of all evil Vrittis during this period. The mind can be easily controlled by Akhanda Kirtan. The wandering habit of the mind towards sensual objects can be easily checked by Akhanda Kirtan. By the practice of Akhanda Kirtan, the mind has neither time nor opportunity to think of sensual objects. Akhanda Kirtan is a potent and easy means to capture the mind. The mind is lled with Sattva. There is supreme peace and joy in Akhanda Kirtan. Akhanda Kirtan brings communion or Samadhi quickly. It puries the heart quickly. It produces high purity of mind and other incalculable benets. — Swami Sivananda 32 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

Sri Gita Jayanti Celebration at the Headquarters Ashram

“Even if you live in the spirit of one verse of the Gita, all your miseries will come to an end and you will attain the goal of life – Immortality and Eternal Peace.” Sadgurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj The auspicious day of Sri Gita Jayanti was celebrated with great sanctity on 25th December 2020 at the Headquarters Ashram. In the forenoon, a special Satsanga was organised at the holy Samadhi Shrine wherein all the eighteen chapters of the sacred Scripture were devoutly recited by the Sannyasis, Brahmacharis and Sadhakas of the Ashram. It was followed by oral Archana to Lord Krishna to the chant of Ashtottarshatanamavali, Arati and distribution of Prasad. May Lord Sri Krishna and Sadgurudev bless all to strive sincerely to live in the spirit of the glorious scripture i.e. Srimad Bhagavad Gita. JANUARY 2021 NEWS & REPORTS 33

Sri Dattatreya Jayanti Celebration at the Headquarters Ashram

The Purnima (full moon day) of the Margashirsha month is the sacred day of the advent of the Divine Trinity i.e. Lord Dattatreya on this earth plane. This auspicious day was celebrated with great devotion on 29th December 2020 at the Headquarters Ashram. As per yesteryears, a special Satsanga was organised from 9 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. at Dattatreya hillock wherein grand worship, with Abhisheka and Archana to the Vedic chants, was offered to the beautiful idol of Lord Dattatreya enshrined in the Dattatreya Temple. Bhajans and Kirtans glorifying the Avadhut Guru were also offered at His sacred feet. The Satsanga concluded with Arati and distribution of the Prasad. May the divine grace of Lord Dattatreya and Sadgurudev be upon all. 34 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

77th Pratishtha Mahotsava of Sri Vishwanatha Mandir The blessed day of the 77th anniversary of the Pratishtha ( c o n s e c r a t i o n ) o f S r i V i s h w a n a t h a M a n d i r w a s c e l e b r a t e d w i t h g r e a t devoutness and deep reverence at the Headquarters ashram on 31st December 2020. Preceding the celebration, the inmates of the Ashram c h a n t e d t h e s a c r e d Panchakshari Mantra in Sri Vishwanatha Mandir for two hours in the afternoon from 27th to 30th December 2020. On the a u s p i c i o u s d a y o f 3 1 s t December, a grand worship with Abhisheka, Alankara and Archana was offered to Lord Sri Vishwanatha enshrined in the sanctum- sanctorum with the sonorous chanting of Vedic Mantras and soulful singing of Bhajans and Kirtans. All the inmates of the Ashram joyously participated in the worship and in the devotional singing. The celebration concluded with the Mangalarati and distribution of sacred Prasad. During the night Satsanga, it being New Year Eve, H.H. Sri Swami Yogaswarupanandaji Maharaj extended his heartiest wishes and also invoked the grace of Sadgurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj upon all. To mark the occasion, two booklets of Pujya Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj's Birth Centenary series 'What is a New Year' and 'A Slow and Steady Religious Awakening' were released. JANUARY 2021 NEWS & REPORTS 35

The year 2020-21 being the Birth Centenary Year of Pujya Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji Maharaj, one of his i n s p i r a t i o n a l c h r o n i c l e s 'Inspiring Talks of G u r u d e v Sivananda' was also released in two v o l u m e s . A p a r t from these, one booklet of Worshipful Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj and ve books of Sri Gurudev got released too commemorating the sacred day.

May the abundant benedictions of Lord Sri Vishwanatha and Sadgurudev shower upon all. 36 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

SEVA THROUGH SIVANANDA HOME 'Sivananda Home is a Centre for the loving care of the destitute and the dying people who are found by the roadside, with no one to care for: the people who are home-less, temporary or permanent, fell sick, got lost or were abandoned'. (Swami Chidananda) This month two new patients were admitted in the Home, two males seventy pluss. Both homeless, having their permanent residence under the huge open sky. One of them was brought from the side of the Ganga, from opposite the Post Ofce Muni-ki-Reti. A plastic sheet was his only protection against the icy blowing winds and he was found shivering night after night. One of his fellow ghat- sleepers brought him, since he was no longer able to look after him, as he said. The patient, simple-minded, straight away told that he had never learnt to read and write. After investigations, days of complete separation in a make-shift arrangement within the Home, a negative COVID-19 report followed. His typhoid test came out positive though, and he was treated accordingly. Contented and satised with whatever was offered to him, he sighed: at last “shanti mil gaya”, got Peace after years of hardships and suffering. The other new patient, referred by a local detox clinic, is a patient with a long history of psychiatric illness, for which he had been treated on and off. Hailing from a very well-to-do family in the area, he was removed from his own house, stayed on the roads here and there for years together, became addicted to alcohol and other things, till all his meagre possessions were stolen from him. He landed up in Triveni Ghat, amidst a group of outside-stayers so to say. But he could no longer tolerate the extreme cold, and with nothing left except a small bag with the prescription drugs, he went in search for a place where he could spend the cold winter months. His COVID-19 test was negative too, and though in segregation, he was admitted in the Home, with observance of the needful general requirements at present. Two people with each having their own life-history, both from our own area, one illiterate, the other highly educated and speaking uent English, but both JANUARY 2021 NEWS & REPORTS 37

ended up at the bottom, at one's wit's end, with nowhere else to turn to, no other means left out, than to surrender oneself at the Feet of Gurudev, with the immense longing for warmth and security, for a safe haven to be welcomed, to be able to leave behind all worries and pain, and to just take shelter under His protecting wings, with nothing else than a humble “Om Namo Bhagawate Sivanandaya. At Thy Holy Feet I prostrate myself, please accept Thy barren child”. “Let us behold Thee in all these names and forms. Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms. Let us ever remember Thee. Let us ever sing Thy glories. Let Thy Name be ever on our lips. Let us abide in Thee for ever and ever.” —Swami Sivananda

Announcement

To commemorate the sacred occasion of Birth Centenary of Worshipful Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, the Divine Life Society Branches of Odisha have decided to perform a Likhit Mantra Maha Purashcharana (14 Crores) of the Mantra 'Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya' from 22nd November 2020 to 31st January 2022 as their Bhakti Pushpanjali at Pujya Swamiji Maharaj's holy feet. It will also serve as an effective silent Sadhana during the troubled times of Covid-19 pandemic. The devotees and members of the Divine Life Society Branches of Odisha may participate in this sacred Yajna in large number as their noble Seva to Sri Gurudev's Mission and their personal Sadhana as well to make this Yajna a grand success.

For further information, please contact: Shri Akshaya Kumar Dash 9437043225/7978141003 Shri Adwait Chandra Biswal 9437000981 38 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

In Memoriam

With great sorrow, we report that Sri Swami Gurukripananda Saraswati, one of the senior-most monks of the Ashram, left his mortal coil on 12th December 2020. Sri Swami Gurukripananda, known as Sri G. K. Krishnan in his pre-monastic life, was born on 24th February 1927 at Gangaikondan village, near Pattamadai, the birthplace of Sadgurudev Sri Swami S i v a n a n d a j i M a h a r a j . A f t e r completing his formal education, Krishnanji joined an Insurance Company in Kolkata, where he got acquainted with the close devotees of Sri Gurudev. Being greatly inspired by Sri Gurudev's noble teachings, he started visiting the holy Ashram of Gurudev in Rishikesh frequently. After retirement in 1984, Krishnanji settled down in the Ashram and served Sri Gurudev's mission, assisting Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, General Secretary in the accounts-related works. He was initiated into the holy order of Sannyasa in 1984 on the sacred occasion of Sri Guru Purnima and was given the name Swami Gurukripananda Saraswati. Sri Swamiji remained very lively, energetic and cheerful until his last days and left his body very peacefully at 4.00 a.m. on 12th December 2020 at the advanced age of 93 years.

May his soul rest at the sacred feet of the Lord and Worshipful Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj.

GUIDELINES REGARDING DONATIONS Donations towards the Divine Life Society may be made through cheque/D.D. /E.M.O. drawn in favour of 'The Divine Life Society', Shivanandanagar, Uttarakhand, payable at Rishikesh. A covering letter mentioning the purpose of donation, Post Mail Address, Phone No., Email Id and PAN should accompany the same.

ONLINE DONATION Those who would like to avail the 'Online Donation Facility' for sending donations may do so, either by accessing directly to the web address https:/donations.sivanandaonline.org or by clicking the 'Online Donation' link provided in our website www. sivanandaonline.org.

MEMBERSHIP FEE AND BRANCH AFFILIATION FEE OF THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192, Uttarakhand 1. New Membership Fee* ` 150/- Admission Fee ...... ` 50/- Membership Fee . . . .. ` 100/- 2. Membership Renewal Fee (Yearly) ` 100/- 3. New Branch Opening Fee** ` 1,000/- Admission Fee . . . . . ` 500/- Afliation Fee ...... ` 500/- 4. Branch Afliation Renewal Fee (Yearly) ` 500/- * Application for Membership should be sent with Photo Identity and Residential proof of the Applicant. ** Prior written permission has to be obtained from the Headquarters for opening a New Branch. ð Kindly send Membership Fee and Branch Afliation Fee by Cheque or by DD payable at any Bank in Rishikesh.

39 40 THE DIVINE LIFE JANUARY 2021

REPORTS FROM THE D.L.S. BRANCHES

INLAND BRANCHES Chandapur (Odisha): The Bargarh (Odisha): The Branch had weekly Satsang on Branch continued daily Arati, Saturdays, Guru Paduka Puja on Rudrabhishek on Mondays and Thursdays and Sundarakanda G u r u P a d u k a P u j a o n Parayan on Sankranti day. Thursdays. Mobile Satsangs were held on 1st Bhanjanagar (Odisha): The and 2nd November. There was Branch carried on daily Paduka recitation of Hanuman Chalisa Puja and weekly Satsang on on 7th and 28th. Besides this, Sundays, and Ekadasis were Ramcharit Manas Parayan and observed with Bhajan, Kirtan, M a h a m a n t r a K i r t a n w e r e recitation of Vishnu Sahasranam conducted from 22nd to 30th. It and Bhagavad Gita. There was was concluded with Paduka Sundarakanda Parayan and Puja, Bhajan and Kirtan. recitation of Hanuman Chalisa Chatrapur (Odisha): In the on Sankranti day. The Branch month of October, the Branch Prathistha day was celebrated on continued daily Puja and weekly 19th October with Paduka Puja. Satsang on Thursdays. Monthly Bhubaneswar (Odisha): Jayanti ceremonies were held on During the Covid pandemic, the 8th and 24th of every month with Branch continued daily Paduka Paduka Puja. Puja and online Satsangs on Lucknow (U.P.): During Thursdays and Sundays. On the Covid-19 Lockdown, the 22nd November, Punyatithi Branch had daily Chanting of Aradhana day of H.H. Sri Swami Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, and Krishnanandaji Maharaj was special Satsang was conducted observed with Prayers, Paduka a t L e k h r a j H o m e s o n 1 s t Puja, Gita Path and Havan. November. JANUARY 2021 NEWS & REPORTS 41

N a n d i n i n a g a r Visakha Rural Branch (Chattisgarh): The Branch (A.P.): The Branch had daily conducted daily morning prayers P u j a a n d A b h i s h e k a m o n and evening Satsang with Mondays. Special Satsangs Parayan of Vishnusahasranam were held on 4th October and and chanting of Hanuman 1st November, with Bhajans Chalisa. The Branch foundation and talks on Bhagavad Gita, day was celebrated on 23rd Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Dhyana November. and Japa. It was concluded with P u r i ( O d i s h a ) : D a i l y Narayana Seva. Devi Navaratri Satsang, Paduka Puja on 8th and was celebrated from 17th to 24th of every month were the 25th October with Archana. regular programmes of the Special Rudrabhishekam was Branch. Besides this, recitation conducted on Mondays during of Vishnu Sahasranam and Gita Kartika month. Path was done on Amavasya day, Visakhapatnam (A.P.): and chanting of Hanuman During Kartika month, the Chalisa was on Sankranti day. Branch conducted Ekavara S t e e l T o w n s h i p - Rudrabhishekam on Mondays Rourkela (Odisha): In the a n d M a h a n y a s a k a month of November, free Yoga Rudrabhishekam on Ekadasi and Music classes on Mondays, day, and free Yoga classes, G u r u P a d u k a P u j a o n A n j a n e y a A b h i s h e k a m o n Thursdays, Swadhyaya on Tuesdays and Abhishekam for Saturdays and weekly Satsang Durga Devi on Fridays were on Sundays were continued c o n t i n u e d . B e s i d e s t h i s , regularly. Devi Navaratri Puja Mahamrityunjaya Havan on was conducted from 17th to Trayodasis and Satyanarayana 25th with Paduka Puja, Study of Swami Puja on full moon days Durga Saptasati and Archana. were done regularly. AV AILABLE BOOKS ON YOGA, PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION By H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj Inspiring Stories ...... 170/- In the Hours of Communion ...... 65/- Adhyatma Yoga ...... ` 125/- Isavasya Upanishad ...... 30/- Ananda Gita ...... 60/- Inspiring Songs & Kritans ...... 130/- Ananda Lahari ...... 40/- Japa Yoga ...... 120/- Analects of Swami Sivananda ...... 55/- Jivanmukta Gita ...... 75/- Autobiography of Swami Sivananda ...... 110/- Jnana Yoga ...... 120/- All About Hinduism ...... 255/- Karmas and Diseases ...... 20/- Bazaar Drugs ...... 60/- Kathopanishad ...... 75/- Beauties of Ramayana ...... 120/- Kenopanishad ...... 40/- Bhagavad Gita (One Act Play) ...... 35/- Kingly Science and Kingly Secret ...... 165/- Bhagavadgita Explained ...... 55/- Know Thyself ...... 65/- Bhagavadgita (Text & Commentary) ...... 110/- *Kalau Keshavkirtanat ...... 300/- Bhagavadgita (Text, Word-to-Word Meaning, Life and Teachings of Lord Jesus ...... 80/- Translation and Commentary) (H.B.) ...... 500/- Light, Power and Wisdom ...... 55/- ” ” (P.B.) ...... 490/- Lives of Saints...... 375/- Bhagavad Gita (Translation only) ...... 65/- Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings ...... 170/- Bhakti and Sankirtan ...... 150/- Lord Siva and His Worship ...... 155/- Bliss Divine ...... 480/- Maha Yoga ...... 20/- Blood Pressure—Its Cause and Cure ...... 65/- May I Answer That ...... 125/ Brahmacharya Drama ...... 40/- Mind—Its Mysteries and Control ...... 325/- Brahma Sutras ...... 375/- Meditation Know How ...... 185/- Brahma Vidya Vilas ...... 75/- Meditation on Om ...... 60/- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad ...... 325/- Moral and Spiritual Regeneration...... 75/- Come Along, Let's Play ...... 80/- Mother Ganga ...... 70/- Concentration and Meditation ...... 285/- Moksha Gita ...... 55/- Conquest of Mind ...... 330/- Mandukya Upanishad ...... 35/- Daily Meditations ...... 95/- Music as Yoga ...... 80/- Daily Readings ...... 95/- Nectar Drops ...... 40/- Dhyana Yoga ...... 125/- Narada Bhakti Sutras ...... 100/- Dialogues from the Upanishads ...... 100/- Parables of Sivananda ...... 75/- Divine life for Children ...... 90/- Passion and Anger ...... 20/- Divine Life (A Drama)...... 25/- Pearls of Wisdom ...... 55/- Divine Nectar ...... 230/- Philosophy and Signicance of Idol Worship ...... 25/- Easy Path to God-Realisation ...... 75/- Philosophical Stories ...... 65/- Easy Steps to Yoga...... U.P. Philosophy and Yoga in Poems ...... 25/- Elixir Divine ...... 35/- Philosophy of Life ...... 35/- Essays in Philosophy ...... 75/- Philosophy of Dreams ...... 50/- Essence of Bhakti Yoga ...... 110/- Pocket Prayer Book ...... 35/- Essence of Gita in Poems ...... 35/- Pocket Spiritual Gems ...... 35/- Essence of Principal Upanishads...... 105/- Practical lessons in Yoga ...... 120/- Essence of Ramayana ...... 110/- Practice of Ayurveda ...... 180/- Essence of Vedanta ...... 165/- Practice of Bhakti Yoga ...... 305/- Ethics of Bhagavad Gita...... 125/- Practice of Brahmacharya ...... 125/- Ethical Teachings ...... 105/- Practice of Karma Yoga ...... 150/- Every Man’s Yoga ...... 160/- Practice of Nature Cure ...... 210/- First Lessons in Vedanta ...... 100/- Practice of Vedanta ...... 145/- Fourteen Lessons on Raja Yoga ...... 55/- Practice of Yoga ...... 215/- Gems of Prayers ...... 70/- Precepts for Practice ...... 125/- Glorious Vision (A Pictorial Guide) ...... 650/- Pushpanjali ...... 35/- God Exists ...... 60/- Radha’s Prem ...... U.P./- God-Realisation ...... 60/- Raja Yoga ...... 140/- Gurudev Sivananda (Pictorial)...... 250/- Revelation ...... 130/- Guru Bhakti Yoga ...... 100/- Religious Education ...... 65/- Guru Tattwa ...... 50/- Sadhana ...... 630/- Hatha Yoga ...... 120/- Sadhana Chatushtaya ...... 45/- Health and Diet ...... 120/- Saint Alavandar or The King's Quest of God ...... 40/- Health and Happiness...... 130/- Sarvagita Sara ...... 100/- Heart of Sivananda ...... 115/- Satsanga and Swadhyaya ...... 45/- Health and Hygiene ...... 190/- Samadhi Yoga ...... 310/- Himalaya Jyoti ...... 35/- Self-Knowledge ...... 155/- Hindu Gods and Goddesses ...... 100/- Science of Reality ...... 60/- Hindu Fasts and Festivals ...... 85/- Self-Realisation ...... 85/- Home Nursing ...... 75/- Sermonettes of Sw. Sivananda ...... 130- Home Remedies ...... 125/- Sivananda-Gita (Last printed in 1946) ...... 65/- How to Become Rich ...... 30/- Sixty-three Nayanar Saints ...... 85/- How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices .... 180/- Spiritual Experiences ...... 135/- How to Get Sound Sleep ...... 70/- Spiritual Lessons ...... 115/- How to Live Hundred Years ...... 70/- Stories from Yoga Vasishtha ...... 110/- Illumination ...... 60/- Student's Success in Life ...... 55/- Illuminating Teachings of Swami Sivananda ...... 75/- Stories from Mahabharata...... 180/- 42 Sureways for Success in Life ...... 260/- Swami Sivananda—Saint, Sage and Godman ...... 205/- Svara Yoga ...... 75/- The Quintessence of the Upanishads ...... 50/- *Sw. Sivananda - His Life in Pictures...... 75/- The Role of Celibacy in the Spiritual Life ...... 25/- Spiritual Treasure ...... 55/- The Divine Destination ...... 120/- Spiritual Aspiration & Practice ...... 115/- The Truth That Liberates ...... 35/- Tantra Yoga, Nada Yoga and Kriya Yoga ...... 145/- *The All-Embracing Heart ...... 100/- Ten Upanishads ...... 165/- Twenty Important Spiritual Instructions ...... 80/- The Devi Mahatmya ...... 120/- Verses Addressed to the Mind ...... 155/- The Divine Treasure of Swami Sivananda ...... 25/- Walk in This Light ...... 140/- The Glorious Immortal Atman ...... 50/- *Worshipful Homage ...... 500/- The Science of Pranayama ...... 70/- By Swami Krishnananda Thought Power ...... 85/- A Brief Outline of Sadhana ...... 60/- Thus Illumines Swami Sivananda...... 20/- Ascent of the Spirit ...... U.P. Triple Yoga ...... 95/- Chhandogya Upanishad...... 100/- Total Thinking ...... 110/- Commentary on the Bhagavadgita ...... 485/- Unity of Religions ...... 80/- Commentary on the Kathopanishad ...... 145/- Universal Moral Lessons ...... 45/- Commentary on the Mundaka Upanishad ...... 95/- Upanishad Drama ...... 90/- Commentary on the Panchadasi (Vol - II) ...... 210/- Upanishads for Busy People ...... 40/- Epic of Consciousness ...... 20/- Vairagya Mala ...... 20/- Essays in Life and Eternity ...... 50/- Vedanta for Beginners ...... 55/- Interior Pilgrimage ...... 75/- Voice of the Himalayas ...... 185/- Mundaka Upanishad ...... 40/- Waves of Bliss ...... 75/- Philosophy of Bhagavadgita...... 130/- Waves of Ganga ...... 70/- Philosophy of Religion ...... 50/- Wisdom in Humour ...... 70/- Realisation of the Absolute ...... 125/- Wisdom Sparks...... 70/- Religion and Social Values ...... 50/- World Peace ...... 120/- Resurgent Culture ...... 20/- What Becomes of the Soul after Death ...... 150/- Self-Realisation, Its Meaning and Method ...... 45/- Yoga and Realisation ...... 120/- Sri Swami Sivananda and His Mission ...... 45/- Yoga Asanas ...... 85/- Studies in Comparative Philosophy...... U.P. Sessions with Ashram Residents ...... 300/- Yoga for West ...... 35/- The Attainment of the Innite ...... 50/- Yoga in Daily Life ...... 75/- The Development of Religious Consciousness ...... 85/- Yoga Vedanta Dictionary ...... 70/- The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad ...... 250/- Yoga Question & Answers ...... 95/- The Heart and Soul of Spiritual Practice ...... 150/- Yoga Vedanta Sutras ...... 90/- The Mighty God-Man of our Age ...... 75/- By Swami Chidananda The Tree of Life ...... 60/- The Vision of Life ...... 85/- A Guide to Noble Living...... 55/- The Yoga of Meditation ...... 70/- An Instrument of Thy Peace...... 265/- The Universality of Being ...... 100/- Awake, Realise Your Divinity ...... 195/- Ture Spiritual Living II...... 135/- *Autobiography (Swami Chidananda) ...... 150/- The Glory of God ...... 90/- Bilss is Within ...... 95/- The Spiritual Import of the Mahabharata and *Chidanandam (The Joy of Knowing Him) ...... 300/- The Bhagavad Gita 190/- *Cosmic Benefactor ...... 300/- The Struggle for Perfection ...... 35/- Ego ...... 20/- Yoga as a Universal Science ...... 65/- Essentials of the Higher Values of Life ...... 65/- Yoga, Meditation and Japa Sadhana ...... 30/- Eternal Messages ...... 45/- Your Questions Answered...... U.P. Forest Academy Lectures on Yoga ...... 325/- Others Gita Vision ...... 20/- Bhajan Kirtan in Gurudev's Kutir ...... 60/- God As Mother ...... 85/- Ekadasa Upanishadah ...... 140/- Guidelines to Illumination ...... 120/- From Man to God-Man (N. Ananthanarayanan) .... 170/- Lectures on Raja Yoga ...... 80/- Greatness Amidst Us ...... 40/- Life ...... 25/- Guru Gita (Swami Narayanananda) ...... 95/- Light-Fountain ...... 80/- I Live to Serve ...... 25/- Liberation Is Possible! ...... 30/- *Memories of Swami Chidananda ...... 250/- Light on the Yoga Way of Life ...... 30/- Miracles of Sivananda ...... 80/- Sivananda Day-To-Day ...... 85/- Manache Shlok ...... 30/- Sivananda: Poet, Philosopher and Saint Message of Swami Chidananda to Mankind ...... 45/- (Dr. Savitri Asopa) ...... 70/- New Beginning ...... 45/- Sivananda: Raja Yoga (Vol-4) ...... 355/- Path Beyond Sorrow ...... 155/- Sivananda: Bhakti Yoga (Vol-5) ...... 175/- Philosophy, Psychology & practice of Yoga ...... 160/- Sivananda Vedanta (Jnana Yoga)...... 230/- Path to Blessedness ...... 105/- Sivananda: The Darling of Children Ponder These Truths ...... 245/- Sw. Sivananda-Hridayananda...... 30/- Practical Guide to Yoga ...... 50/- Sw. Sivananda Chitrakatha ...... 45/- Renunciation—A Life of Surrender and Trust...... 25/- Sivananda Integral Yoga ...... 65/- Seek the Beyond ...... 300/- The Holy Stream ...... 185/- *Souvenir ...... 200/- This Monk from India ...... 125/- Swami Chidananda Talks in South Africa ...... 135/- Yoga Divine...... 60/- Swami Sivananda our Loving Awakener ...... 80/- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali ...... 70/-

For Direct Orders: The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar—249 192, Uttarakhand, India. For online orders and Catalogue visit: dlsbooks.org

*No Discount on the Star-marked Books 43 NEW RELEASE! SPIRITUAL STORIES

Pages: 216 Price: ` 150/- First Edition: 1958 | Second Edition: 2021

Stories and parables by Sadgurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj to impart the moral and spiritual knowledge in the most interesting way.

First Edition 1961 Second Edition 2021

Part - I Pages: 312 Price: ` 215/- Part - II Pages: 328 Price: ` 225/- INSPIRING TALKS OF GURUDEV SIVANANDA (PART I and II) Precious pearls of wisdom gathered by Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji Maharaj as they fell from the sacred lips of Sri Gurudev from March 1948 to July 1950. 44 TWENTY IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS By H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj 1. BRAHMA-MUHURTA: Get up at 4 a.m. daily. motion or manifestation—Vibhuti. Veerya is This is Brahmamuhurta which is extremely all power. Veerya is all money. Veerya is the favourable for meditation on God. essence of life, thought and intelligence. 2. ASANA: Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha 9. PRAYER SLOKAS: Get by heart some prayer Asana for Japa and meditation for half an Slokas, Stotras and repeat them as soon as hour, facing the east or the north. Increase you sit in the Asana before starting Japa or the period gradually to three hours. Do meditation. This will elevate the mind Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping quickly. up Brahmacharya and health. Take light 10. SATSANGA: Have Satsanga. Give up bad physical exercises as walking, etc., regularly. company, smoking, meat and alcoholic Do twenty Pranayamas. liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil 3. JAPA: Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om habits. Namo Narayanaya, Om Namah Sivaya, Om 11. FAST ON EKADASI: Fast on Ekadasi or live N a m o B h a g a v a t e V a s u d e v a y a , O m on milk and fruits only. Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita Ram, Sri 12. JAPA MALA: Have a Japa Mala (rosary) Ram, Hari Om, or Gayatri, according to your round your neck or in your pocket or taste or inclination, from 108 to 21,600 underneath your pillow at night. times daily. 13. MOUNA: Observe Mouna (vow of silence) for 4. DIETETIC DISCIPLINE: Take Sattvic food, a couple of hours daily. Suddha Ahara. Give up chillies, tamarind, 14. SPEAK THE TRUTH: Speak the truth at all garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard, cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly. asafoetida. Observe moderation in diet 15. PLAIN LIVING: Reduce your wants. If you (Mitahara). Do not overload the stomach. Give up those things which the mind likes have four shirts, reduce the number to three best for a fortnight in a year. Eat simple food. or two. Lead a happy, contented life. Avoid Milk and fruits help concentration. Take food unnecessary worry. Have plain living and as medicine to keep the life going. Eating for high thinking. enjoyment is sin. Give up salt and sugar for a 16. NEVER HURT ANYBODY: Never hurt month. You must be able to live on rice, Dhal anybody (Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah). and bread without any Chutni. Do not ask Control anger by love, Kshama (forgiveness) for extra salt for Dhal and sugar for tea, and Daya (compassion). coffee or milk. 17. DO NOT DEPEND UPON SERVANTS: Do not 5. MEDITATION-ROOM: Have a separate depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the meditation-room under lock and key. highest of all virtues. 6. CHARITY: Do charity regularly, every 18. SELF-ANALYSIS: Think of the mistakes you month, or even daily according to your have committed during the course of the day, means, say six Paisa per rupee. just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). 7. SVADHYAYA: Study systematically the Gita, Keep daily diary and self-correction register. the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Sri Vishnu- Do not brood over past mistakes. Sahasranama, Lalita-Sahasranama, Aditya 19. FULFIL DUTIES: Remember that death is Hridaya, the Upanishads or the Yoga awaiting you at every moment. Never fail to Vasishtha, the Bible, the Zend Avesta, the full your duties. Have pure conduct Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, (Sadachara). etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and 20. SURRENDER TO GOD: Think of God as have Suddha Vichara. soon as you wake up and just before you go 8. BRAHMACHARYA: Preserve the vital force to sleep. Surrender yourself completely to (Veerya) very, very carefully. Veerya is God in God (Sharanagati).

Om Santih Santih Santih! This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas. This will lead you to Moksha. All these Niyamas or spiritual canons must be rigidly observed. You must not give leniency to the mind. Registrar of Newspapers for India Postal-Registration No. TRI/006/2021-23 No. 2395/1957 LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT (Inland) Licence No. WPP No. 03/21-23 Valid upto: 31-12-2023 JANUARY 2021 DATE OF PUBLICATION: 15th OF EVERY MONTH DATE OF POSTING: 15th OF EVERY MONTH Posted at Shivanandanagar P.O., Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE Let not appearances deceive you. There goes the devotee, chanting the sacred Name of Narayana. He sings in ecstasy and dances in rapture for an hour or two. He is vehement in asserting that all indeed is Narayana. Here is a great monist who would not stop repeating: 'I am God', 'I am God', 'I am God'. Profound is his learning, and mighty his swordsmanship in argument. Tarry a while, friend. Watch them under three conditions—when desperately hungry, when bitterly provoked and insulted, and when another man is pathetically distressed. Now if they full their former assertions, all hail to them, veritable gods on earth are they; if they do not, keep yourself aloof from them lest you should be infected.

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Printed and Published by Swami Advaitananda on behalf of “The Divine Life Trust Society” at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192, Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, and Published from The Divine Life Society Headquarters, P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192, Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand Phone: 0135-2430040, 2431190; E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sivanandaonline.org; www.dlshq.org; www.chidananda.org Editor: Swami Nirliptananda